Which place is cheaper, Yakushima or Chennai?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Chennai or Yakushima?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Chennai or Yakushima? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Chennai or Yakushima?
Chennai
Formerly known as Madras from its colonial history, Chennai today is one of India's largest cities and capital of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the Bay of Bengal in southeastern India with an extensive stretch of sandy beaches, plenty of dining and shopping, a number of historic temples, monuments, and churches, plus amusement parks and more.
Yakushima
Yakushima, Japan is a UNESCO World Heritage island located north of Okinawa and off the south east of of Kyushu. The island is well-known to Japanese tourists but not so much to international ones, making it a bit of a hidden gem to international tourists. This also means that English isn't spoken as much as in larger cities, so make sure to brush up on your Japanese and bring a dictionary.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to India, The Best Sightseeing Tours in India, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Japan, and The Best Luxury Tours to Japan.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayChennai $29Yakushima $116
The average daily cost (per person) in Chennai is $29, while the average daily cost in Yakushima is $116. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Chennai and Yakushima in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personChennai $15Yakushima $59
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomChennai $30Yakushima $118
Compare Hotels in Chennai and Yakushima
Looking for a hotel in Chennai or Yakushima? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Chennai Hotel Prices and Yakushima Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Chennai $2.61Yakushima $49
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chennai
Also for Chennai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Chennai Airport to Hotel Transfer: $13
- Chennai Airport Transfers : Budget Sedan and SUV Cabs: $15
- Departure transfer: Chennai hotels to Chennai International Airport: $19
- Chennai - Private Departure Transfer from Hotel to Airport : $19
- Departure Transfer from Chennai Hotels to Chennai airport: $20
- Chennai - Private Arrival Transfer - From Airport to Hotel: $20
- Bangalore - private departure transfer from Hotel to Airport : $35
- Full Day Tour to Kanchipuram and UNESCO's Mahabalipuram with Private Transfer: $246
Is it cheaper to fly into Chennai or Yakushima?
Prices for flights to both Yakushima and Chennai change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayChennai $6.40Yakushima $28
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chennai
For Chennai, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- 2 Hour Street Food Tour in Sowcarpet Chennai : $37
- Private In-Home Vegetarian Cooking Class and Meal in Chennai: $46
- Private Vegetarian South Indian Cooking Class in Chennai : $48
- South Indian Vegetarian Cooking Class in Chennai with Menna: $54
- South Indian Vegetarian Cooking Class Near the Chennai airport: $62
- Traditional Tamil Brahmin Vegetarian Cooking Lesson with a Local in Her Home: $74
- Private Authentic Indian Cooking Class in Chennai with a Local: $76
- Private 3-Hour Cooking Lesson and Meal in Chennai: $100
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Chennai $2.77Yakushima $20
Tours and Activities in Chennai
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Chennai.
- Explore Chennai in Nightlights (2 Hour Guided Walking Tour): $13
- Spiritual Trails of Chennai (2 Hour Guided Walking Tour): $13
- Chennai Heritage Trails (2 Hour Guided Walking Tour): $13
- Walking Tour Chennai: $14
- Chennai Walking Tour ( 2 hours guided tour): $16
- Chennai Night Walk Tour ( 2 hours guided walking tour): $16
- Magical Chennai Markets Tour (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $17
- Chennai Walk of Divinity (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $17
- 2 Hour Street Food Walking Tour: $21
- Chennai Food Tasting Trails (2 Hour Guided Tour Experience): $26
- Village Tour around Mahabalipuram: $27
- Mylapore Walking tour by Wonder tours: $29
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayChennai $3.08Yakushima $6.38
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Chennai and Yakushima, we can see that Yakushima is more expensive. And not only is Chennai much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Chennai would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Chennai and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Yakushima would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Yakushima than you might in Chennai.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Chennai Expensive? and Is Yakushima Expensive?.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.